You can feel the tension everywhere. In America, where we’re having a fearful, farcical election. In Europe, from the Brexit shores of Dover to the refugee-laden borders of Turkey. Even at the Olympics, during what is supposed to be a celebration, the opening speech told us that the world was coming together in Rio at a time of dire, global crisis.

Really? The summer of 2016 is uniquely frightening and insecure, compared to other Olympiad years when things were so tranquil the speeches never said a discouraging word?read more